Will Texas declare war on Washington?

By Richard Dunham |
November 8, 2012

In Barack Obama's America, Latino voters overwhelmingly favored the Democratic incumbent, handing him 71 percent of their votes to 27 percent for GOP nominee Mitt Romney. In Texas, voters overwhelmingly elected the first Hispanic senator in the state's history, Ted Cruz - a conservative Republican.

In Barack Obama's America, the Tea Party wave receded, with some of the most prominent firebrands of the 2010 conservative insurgency sent packing by the voters. In Texas, despite the defeat of freshman Republican Francisco "Quico" Canseco of San Antonio, voters sent three new Republicans with strong Tea Party support to Washington, including Cruz.

In Barack Obama's America, the Republican nominee lost the popular vote for the fifth time in the last six presidential elections. In Texas, Republicans swept every statewide race for ninth time in a row.

"Every statewide official is Republican and the GOP has broad majorities in both houses, both U.S. senators and 24 of 36 congressional seats," said Republican consultant Matt Mackowiak. "Under conservative leadership, Texas will remain a state where bold policy is advanced and where government is limited, taxes and regulation are low."

In the aftermath of a second consecutive White House setback, there is a bigger disconnect than ever between the mood of national Republicans and Texas GOP loyalists. While national Republicans are downcast about the future and pointing the finger of blame, Texas Republicans are upbeat and almost giddy about being the leaders of the resistance to Barack Obama's second-term agenda, from comprehensive immigration reform to implementation of the 2010 health-reform law widely known as Obamacare.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who tried but failed to win the GOP nomination to take on Obama, warned Obama on Wednesday to "put an end to his reckless disregard for our rule of law and spare our nation another long, painful and expensive four years for American families, taxpayers and employers."

"Meanwhile," he added, "states have the opportunity to pave the way for Washington by promoting common-sense policies of smaller government, lower taxes and restrained spending that create jobs and prosperity for their citizens."

With Obama back in the saddle for four more years, Texas officials predict continuing legal wrangling between Austin and Washington. Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has filed 24 lawsuits against the federal government since Obama took office.

Contentious issues include environmental regulation, redistricting and the strict Texas Voter ID law that was put on hold by a three-judge federal appellate panel last summer.

Texas Democrats say they expect Perry, who has not ruled out a 2016 presidential candidacy, and Abbott, who harbors gubernatorial ambitions, to seek out more opportunities to declare legal war on Washington.

"Of course we should," said Democratic consultant Harold Cook. "The lawsuits will illustrate the extent to which Republicans, just handed defeats from coast-to-coast because they've drifted much to far to the right, will drift farther to the right in response."

On Wednesday, Texas Sen. John Cornyn, the chairman of the Senate Republicans' campaign committee, lamented his party's loss of two Senate seats and called for "a period of reflection and recalibration." But neither Cornyn nor other leading Texas Republicans showed any inclination to move the GOP toward the political center.

"We know that our conservative vision is the right one to secure a stronger America for future generations," said Cornyn.